The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-14

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thing to keep her busy all the time.
Couldn't she gather around her a
little kindergarten class OF children
and try.to fill up her life with duties?"
He knew that duties were cold, I'M
satisfactory things when the heart
was crying out for something alive
and warm, but he let her have her
way, and as day after day she stud
led deeper into child-life, and saw
how in ministering to these little
ones we are in turn ministered to, she
grew more content and less impatient
OF life.
One bright spring morning, two
years later, the brother and sister sat
on their porch. watching the flowers
grow" Lucia said.
Presently Joe got up and limped to
the steps. "Lucia, do you see that
peculiar little cloud youder,Y / should
not be surprised if we had storm OF
some kind to-day"
"Oh, Joe, the ideal Why, the sun
never did shine so bright. | feel al
most like little child again this
morning, and know it is this deli,
cious sunshine"
81 hope nothing will come to shut it
out, then, dear, if it makes you hap.
py." And he looked at her with a
tender little smile.
The girl jumped up impulsively and
kissed his worn cheek, whispering,
you make me happy all the time,
joe"
Before the day was over his pro-
phecy came true. a wild storm came
up, one OF those sudden furies of light
ming, wind and rain peculiar to our
Texas climate, that interrupts the sun
for few moments, strikes the earth
a single passionate blow and returns
to its home among the clouds, leav-
ing nature bruised and smarting from
the stroke. The southbound train
had come in in the midst OF the gale,
and few hours later message was
brought to Lucia Grey.
But one passenger had left the cars,
and as he stepped across the platform
he stopped one moment to gaze up at
the frowning heavens. As he looked q
fiery, zigzag line cut the sullen blue of
the sky, gathered itself into a lurid
ball OF dancing, purplish tlame-lights
and burst amid % grand dlscord OF
thunder, wind and rain. When the
clamor OF the elements ceased those
inside the depot rushed out to see
where the bolt had fallen.
They found some OF the men who
had been grouped outside thrown TO
the ground, few stunned, and one,
the passenger from the southbound
train, struck dead.
When carried to the hotel he was re-
cognlzed as Laurence Holt.
In his pocket was letter with the
address, 40 be given, in case OF my
death, to Miss Lucia Grey, San
Marcos, Tex"
They sent it to her, and with it a
sealed packet bearing the same direc-
ton, which was found with the letter
Lucia listened 10 it all, with now
and then o low moan, such as the
dumb make when in distress, and
asked Joe to take her to him and let
her be alone with him for q little
while.
Alone in the room with the dear
form, so unfamiliar in its strange,
white silence, she opened the letter and
the packet.
The former told OF so much love and
happiness that had been coming on
flying feet to meet her, that at first
she could not take this cold clay as
sole answer.
Laurence Holt had met John Ter
rel few days before in some Western
city, and, learning from chance re-
marks of the latter (who had not yet
recovered from his surprise at wom-
ans refusing, not him, but his wealth.
what had actually occurred thateven-
ing long ago, he started home at once.
He was not much richer in pocket
than then, but his heart was full ofjoy
and bright hopes, and clean-swept OF
all those sickening doubts and fears
which he now knew were the creations
OF distorted fancy.
Sometimes people die OF n rush OF
happiness to the heart, as well as a
rush OF blood to the BRAIN.
il he had been Scotch he would have
distrusted this overflush OF Joy, like
the consumptives sudden rise OF
strength that is the prelude to death.
In Che yellow, time-discolored paper
Lucia found faded bunch of violets,
the words OF an old song she had
copied, and two ragged bits OF dark
flannel pinned together with the spiky
leaf OF the aguarita.
Ali he must, indeed, have distrust.
ed his 10Y, or else what subtle preset
ence made him thus photograph his
heart for her.
Those last hours shall be sacred.